A Dictionary of Dental Terms (tm)

Table Of Contents

We have assembled a factual list of common dental and orthodontic terms. When browsing our website you will see many of these terms used.
This dental dictionary is updated often, so be sure to check back for the latest dental terms and definitions.

Definitions Of General Dental Terms

Names Of Individual teeth

Palmer's Notation

Palmer's notation is a widely used method to designate individual teeth. In Palmer's notation, your mouth is divided into four parts called quadrants, that is the upper left quadrant, the upper right quadrant, the lower left quadrant, and the lower right quadrant as illustrated in the figure on the right. Then each individual tooth in the quadrant is given a name. For example the two upper and two lower teeth at the center of your mouth are called central's. One then combines the names of the quadrant and the tooth to come up with a Palmer's notation. For example, the central on the upper right side of your mouth is called an upper right central.

The remaining teeth are designated as follows:

Central

The two upper and two lower teeth in the very center of your mouth. More

Lateral

The teeth just adjacent to the centrals.

Cuspid

The pointy teeth just behind the laterals. These teeth have one cuspal (or point). Cuspids are also called canines.

First Bicuspid

The teeth just behind the cuspids. These teeth have two cuspals (or points)

Second Bicuspid

The teeth just behind the first bicuspids. These teeth also have two cuspals (or points).

First Molar

The teeth just behind the second bicuspids. These teeth have a level surface with four cuspals.

Second Molar

The teeth just behind the first. These teeth also have a level surface with four cuspals.

Third Molar

The teeth just behind the second molars. These teeth also have a level surface with four cuspals.

Incisor

Another name for the centrals and laterals

Canine

Another name for the cuspids

6 year molar

Another name for your first molar

12 year molar

Another name for your second molar

Wisdom Tooth

Another name for the third molar

Anterior Teeth

Your centrals, laterals, and cuspids. These are the teeth in the front of your mouth

Posterior Teeth

Your bicuspids and molars. These are the teeth in the back of your mouth.

Deciduous Teeth

Your primary, or "baby teeth"

Primary teeth

The first set of teeth which come in. Primary teeth are also called "baby teeth" or deciduous teeth.

Secondary Teeth

Your permenant teeth, i.e. the second group of teeth to come in.

Quadrants

The four parts of your mouth, that is the upper left, the upper right, the lower left, and the lower right.

Numerical notation for teeth

The numerical notation for
teeth is an alternate to Palmer's notation. In this notation, the centrals are
designated as 1's, the laterals as 2's, the cuspids as 3's, the first bicuspids
as 4's, the seond bicuspid's as 5's, etc.

Universal numerical notation for teeth

The universal
numerical notation is an alternative numerical notation for teeth. In this
notation, your upper right third molar is designated as tooth#1, and then
you number each tooth sequentially moving right to left and down across
your mouth.

Parts Of A Tooth And Your Mouth

Alveolus

A opening in your jaw-bone in which a tooth is attached.

Apex

The very bottom of the root of your tooth

Buccal

The tooth surface which is next to your cheeks. Usually only posterior teeth touch your cheeks, so people usually use the
term "buccal" only when talking about your back teeth.

Cementum

A bony substance covering the root of a tooth.

Crown

The part of your tooth above your gum.

Cuspal

The chewing or tearing points of the cuspids, bicuspids, and molars.

Dentin

The calcium part of a tooth below the enamel containing the pulp chamber and root canals.

Enamel

A hard ceramic which covers the exposed part of your teeth.

Frenum

Small pieces of pink colored skin that attach
your lips, cheeks and tongue to your mouth. Examples include the piece
of skin under your tounge which sticks out when you pick up your tongue,
and the piece of skin which sticks out when you pull out your lips.

Gingivae

Another name for your gums

Gums

The pink areas around your teeth

Pulp

The soft inner structure of a tooth, consisting of nerve and blood vessels

Pulp Chamber

The very inner part of your tooth containing nerve cells and blood vessels.

Pulp canal

Another name for the pulp chamber

Root

The part of your tooth in your gums

Other dental terms

Abutment

The teeth on either side of a missing tooth.

Amalgam

A silver/mercury mixture which is used for fillings.

Anatomy

1)The arangement of the bones in your skeleton
2) The study of the arrangement of the bones in your skeleton.

Antiseptic

A chemical agent which can be applied to living tissues to destroy germs.

Anesthetic

A drug which a doctor or dentist uses to put
you, your mouth, or some other part of your body asleep so you do not
feel any pain during dental or medical procedures.

Outside of your mouth. For example, neck
pads are sait to be extra oral products since they go outside of your mouth.

Filtrum

the dimple or indentation under the nose directly
above the upper lip.

Fluoride

A chemical solution or gel which you put on
your teeth. The flouride hardens your teeth and prevents tooth decay.

Gingival hypertrophy

The abnormal enlargement of the
gingiva surrounding the teeth caused by poor oral hygiene.

Gingivitis

The inflammation of your gums caused by
improper brushing. The first sign of periodontal (gum) disease.

Impacted tooth

An unerupted tooth that somehow has
gotten stuck and cannot come in.

Implant

A replacement for one of your missing teeth. The
implant is different than a bridge in that the implant is permenantly
attached into your jaw.

Incisal

The biting edge of your centrals and laterals.

Interproximal

the space between adjacent teeth

Intraoral

Inside your mouth. For example, orthodontic
rubber bands are called intraoral products since the rubber bands are
designed to go in your mouth.

Irrigation

the technique of using a solution to wash out
your mouth and to flush debris.

Labial

The tooth surface next to your lips or things
mounted on the tooth surfaces next to your lips.

Lingual

The tooth surface next to your tongue or things
mounted on the tooth surfaces next to your tongue.

Mandible

Your lower jaw

Mandibular

Pertaining to your lower jaw

Masticate

To chew your food and mix the food with
saliva

Maxilla

Your upper jaw

Maxillary

Pertaining to your upper jaw

Mesial

Forward or front. For example your cuspid is
mesial to you bicuspid. The mesial surface of your bicuspid is the part of
the bicuspid closest to your cuspid.

Midline

A plane through the very center of your mouth
perpendicular to your nose.

Mixed dentition

The situation when both deciduous and
permanent teeth are present.

Occlusal

the chewing or grinding surface of the bicuspid
and molar teeth.

Occlusal plane

the imaginary surface on which upper and
lower teeth meet.

Occlusal radiograph

the only x-ray that is taken without
a precision(tm) x-ray holder. The x-ray film for this procedure is shaped
like a large oatmeal cookie. You are asked to bite on the x-ray film and
the top of the x-ray machine is positioned over your nose for a maxillary
occlusal x-ray or under your chin for a mandibular occlusal film. The x-
ray shows the whole arch.

Oral

pertaining to the mouth.

Osteoblasts

Cells which aid the growth and development
of teeth and bones.

Osteoclasts

Cells which help create the sockets in bones.
For example osteoclasps create the openings in your jaw bone to hold your
teeth.

Pathogens

disease producing organisms that can exist in
many different places. (e.g.: Air, dust, counter top surfaces, the body,
etc.)

An adjective used to describe things pertaining
to the back of your mouth or your back teeth.

Prophylaxis

Cleaning your teeth

Prosthodontist

A dentist who specializes in the
replacement of missing teeth.

Proximal

Refers to the surfaces of teeth that touch the
next tooth; the space between adjacent teeth is the interproximal space.

Radiograph

Another name for an x-ray

Root canal

A procedure where the nerve of a heavily
decayed tooth is removed from the tooth replaced with a filling material

Sagittal plane

The longitudinal vertical plane that divides
the mouth into two halves (left and right.)

Sanitization

A cleaning process which reduces germs to
a "safe" level.

Space maintainer

A gadget used to maintain a space in
your mouth. You would use a space maintainer when you lose one of
your baby teeth. The space maintainer will keep a space in your mouth
until a permenant tooth comes in to fill the space.

Sterilization

A process where a medical material is
treated to remove all possible germs and other forms of life

Supernumerary teeth

Some people have extra teeth. These are called "supernumerary teeth".

Tartar

Another name for calculus

TMJ

An abreviation for the "temporomandibular joint"
The "temporomandibular joint" is the joint where your lower jaw connects
to your skull.

Treatment card

a sheet of paper or special index card
used to record your treatment progress.

Definitions Of Orthodontic Terms

Parts Of Your Braces

Appliance

Anything the orthodontist attaches to your
teeth to move your teeth or to change the shape of your jaw

Arch Wire

A metal wire which is attached to your
brackets to move your teeth.

Band

a metal ring that is usually placed on you teeth to
hold on parts of your braces

Bracket

A metal or ceramic part that is glued onto a
tooth and serves as a means of fastening the arch wire.

Breakaway

A breakaway is a small plastic piece with an
internal spring which is used to provide force on a facebow.

Buccal tube

A small metal part that is welded on the
ourside of a molar bank. The buccal tube contains a slots to hold
archwires, lip bumpers, facebows and other things your orthodontist uses
to move your teeth.

Chain, Orthodontic Chain

A stretchable plastic chain used
to hold archwires into brackets and to moke teeth.

Facebow, Headgear

Facebows are wire apparatus used to
move your upper molars back in your mouth which creates room for
crowded or protrusive anterior teeth. Generally, the facebow consists of
two metal parts which have been attached together. The inner part is
shaped like a horseshoe. This part goes in your mouth and is connected
to your buccal tubes. The outer part has two curves. The curves go
around your face, and connect to the breakaways or high pull headgear. To
properly use the product, the inner bow needs to be inserted into your
buccal tubes. An elastic neck band is placed around the back of the neck
while the triangular cast offs on both sides of neck band are attached to
the outer bow of the headgear. Completing the apparatus is a plastic
safety strap that is placed over the neck band and onto the outer bow of
the headgear.

Ligating module

A small plastic piece, shaped like a
donut, which is used to hold the arch wires in the brackets on your teeth.

Lip bumper

A lip bumper is used to push the molars on
your lower jaw back to create more space for other teeth. The lip bumper
conists of an arch wire which is attached to a molded piece of plastic.
You mount the arch wire in the buccal tubes on your lower jaw, and
plastic piece rests against your lips. When you eat or talk, you push the
plastic piece back which pushes on your molars. That pushes your molars
back.

Mouthguard

A device that is used to protect your mouth
from injury when you are participating in sports. The use of a mouthguard
is especially important for orthodontic patients, to prevent injuries.

Neck pad

A neckpad is a cloth covered cushion which
you wear around your neck when you put on your facebow. Generally, the
breakaways are attached to the neckpad to provide force for the facebow.

Palatal Expander

A device used to make your jaw wider

Retainer

A gadget that the orthodontist gives you to wear
after the orthodntist removes your braces. The retainer attaches to your
upper teeth and holds them in the correct position. You wear the retainer
at night to make sure that none of your teeth move while your jaw hardens
and your teeth get strongly attached to your jaw.

Safety Strap

A plastic strap which prevents a facebow
from coming loose and hurting you.

Seperator

A plastic or metal part which the orthodontist
uses to create space between your teeth for bands.

Wax

A clear wax used to prevent your braces from
irritating your lips when your braces are first put on, or at other times.

The Orthodontist's Tools

Band Remover

A special plier which the orthodontist
uses to remove bands from your teeth

Bite Stick

A device the orthodontist uses to help put on
your bands. The orthodontist puts the band in place, then asks you to bite
down on the bite stick to help push the band in place.

Cephalometric Viewer

An x-ray viewer

Cheek retractors

Small plastic pieces used to draw back
your lips and cheeks so the orthodontist can more easily see you teeth and
work in your mouth.

Curing Light

A special UV light used to help attach
brackets to your teeth

Distal End Cutter

A special plier used to cut off the ends
of your arch wires.

Explorer

a hook-like fine pointed instrument used in
examining the teeth.

Interproximal Stripper

A device used to remove some of
the enamel from the spaces between your teeth. The stripper is used to
create extra space for crowded teeth.

Mathieu Plier

A special plier which locks when it closes
so it holds on to small parts.

Pin and Ligature Cutter

A special plier use to cur off
arch wires, ligatures etc.

Scaler

A tool with a curved hook on one end. The
orthodontist uses the scaler to remove excess cement, and check for gaps.

Twirl On

A device used to help place ligating modules
on brackets.

Orthodontic Procedures

Acid etch

A procedure where a weak acid smeared on
your teeth to ready your teeth for brackets. The acid etch helps your
brackets stay on better.

Banding

the process of cementing orthodontic bands to
your teeth

Bonding

the process of attaching brackets to your teeth
using a special safe glue

Cephalometric X-Rays

An x-ray of the head that shows
whether your teeth are aligned properly, and whether they are growing
properly.

The Consultation

A meeting with your orthodontist where
he discusses your treatment plan

Debanding

the removal of cemented orthodontic bands.

Debonding

The removal of the brackets from your teeth

Extraoral photograph

facial photos.

Impressions

The first step in making a model of your
teeth. You bite into a container filled with algenate, and the algenate
hardens to produce a mold of your teeth.

Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment

Orthodontic treatment
usually done when you are 6-8. The objective of interceptive orthodontic
treatment is to expand your palate and make other corrections, so that your
later orthodontic treatment goes quicker and is less painful.

Ligation

A process where an archwire is attached to the
brackets on your teeth.

Ligating

An adjective used to describe components used
to attach archwires to brackets. For example a ligating module is a small
plastic piece that goes over the brackets to hold in your archwires.

Panoramic x-ray

An x-ray taken by a machine that
rotates around your head to give the orthodontist a picture of your teeth,
jaws and other important information.

The records appointment

One of the initial appointments
with your orthodontist. The orthodontist or his/her assistant takes
pictures of you, x-rays, and impressions so that they can figure out
what treatment needs to be done.
You go into the orthodontist's office and the orthodontist's assistant either makes
adjustments to the wires in your
braces, or changes the wires.

Wax bite

A procedure to measure how well your teeth
come together. You bite a sheet of wax and leave bitemark in the wax. The orthodontist looks at the bitemarks to see how well your teeth are
aligned.

Dental and orthodontic gadgets and materials not mentioned elsewhere

Acrylic

A plastic used to false teeth, retainers, and other
dental products. Dental acrylic has been tested and thought to be perfectly
safe.

Algenate

A plaster like compound used to take
impressions. It tastes awful, but is safe.

Armamentarium

A general term for the dental chairs,
lights and equipment used by your dentist or orthodontist.

Biomechanics

the relationship between the force you
apply to living tissue such as teeth and gums and and how the tissue
moves and changes

A disgusting procedure where an
orthodontist takes bands, brackets, wires, etc. out of one patient's mouth
and "recycles" them to another patient's mouth. This should not be
confused with the kind of recycling you do in your house; materials
recycled in your home are used as a source of raw materials and not
simply reused.

Other Orthodontic Terms

Archform

the shape of the dental arch. For example the
orthodontist could say that you have a horseshoe archform or a "v"-shaped
archform.

Closed bite

A malocclusion where your upper teeth cover
your lower teeth when you bite down. This is also called a "deep bite."

Crossbite

A malocclusion where some of your upper
teeth are inside of your lower teeth when you bite down.

Crowding

An orthodontic problem caused by having too
many teeth in two small of a space.

Crown angulation

a tooth movement in which the root
of the tooth is tipped forward or backward to correct the angle of the
crown.

Crown inclination

a tooth movement in which the root
of the tooth is tipped toward cheeks (lips) or toward the lingual (palate) of
the mouth.

Deep bite

excessive overbite; closed bite.

Dentition

the arrangement of the teeth.

Diastema

a space between two teeth.

Drift

Unwanted movement of teeth.

Extrusion

Tooth movement in the direction of eruption.
Natural extrusion: teeth grow until there is contact with another tooth. Mechanical extrusion: to pull the teeth so that it extends farther out of
your gums.

Fixed appliance

any orthodontic component that is
cemented or bonded to the teeth.

Flared teeth

A term used to indicate the position of the
teeth. The upper teeth are flared lingually (toward the lip).

Full orthodontic treatment

Getting braces

Inclination

the angle of the long axis of a tooth from a
particular line of reference; the tilt or tip of a tooth.

Interocclusal registration

a wax bite which is used to see
how your teeth come together

Interproximal stripping

reduction of the enamel of the
teeth on both sides of the tooth. This procedure is preformed to create
space for crowded teeth.

Intrusion

movement of a tooth back into the bone.

Lingual appliances

orthodontic appliance fixed to the
inside of your teeth. i.e. Lingual appliances are attached to the part of
your teeth next to your tongue.

Lingual arch

An orthodontic wire attached from molar
to molar in the inside of your teeth.

Lingual retainers

a variation of the lingual arch going
from cuspids to cuspid.

Malocclusion

Poor positioning of your teeth.

Class I Malocclusion

A Malocclusion where your bite is OK (your top teeth line up with your bottom teeth) but your teeth are crooked, crowded or turned.

Class II Malocclusion

A Malocclusion where your upper teeth stick out past your lower teeth. This is also called an "overbite" or "buck teeth"

Class III Malocclusion

A Malocclusion where your lower teeth stick out past your upper teeth. This is also called an "underbite".

Occlusion

The alignment and spacing of your upper and lower teeth when you bite down.

Proper Occlusion

A beautiful smile where all of your teeth are straight and your top teeth line up with your bottom teeth

Open bite

A malocclusion in which the teeth do not close or come together in the front of your mouth

Orthodontics

The treatment preformed to correct your bite and make your smile look wonderful.

Orthodontist

A dentist who has been specially trained to do orthodontics.

Orthodontia

Braces

Overbite

vertical overlapping of the upper teeth over the lower.

Overjet

horizontal projection of upper teeth beyond the
lower.

Retruded

a term used when your front teeth are slated
lingually (i.e. toward the back of your mouth).

Rotation

a movement in which the tooth turned along the
long axis of the tooth.

Spee

the curve of spee is the curvature of the occlusal
plane of the teeth.

Stop

a bend or auxiliary attachment placed on a wire to
limit the archwire from sliding or moving in the bracket slot of the
bracket.

Tipping

a tooth movement in which the root of the tooth
is tipped labially (lip) or lingually (tongue) to correct the angle of the
crown of the tooth.

Torque

the rotation of a tooth on the long axis moving
the root of the tooth in a buccal or labial direction.

Tracing (cephalometric)

an overlay drawing traced over
a cephalometric x-ray that shows specific structures and landmarks that
provided a basis for orthodontic therapy.

Traction

the act of drawing or pulling the teeth.

Translation

a tooth movement in which the entire tooth
moves forward or backward without tipping or rotating.

Typodont

A plastic model of a typical mouth, showing
the alignment of teeth. A typodont is used to teaching orthodontic
procedures.

Orthodontics

Disclaimer: These FAQs are meant to provide general information about orthodontic treatment. The FAQ does not
provide medical advice, and should not be used as a substitute for medical advice. BracesInfo.com provide no
warranty and accept no liability for the information disclosed here. FOR MEDICAL ADVICE SEE YOUR ORTHODONTIST.